Workup and management of infection in shoulder arthroplasty

Abstract

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is an important complication after shoulder arthroplasty and is often associated with significant morbidity. However, clear signs and symptoms of infection are not always present. As such, it is mandatory to consider each painful shoulder arthroplasty as potentially infected until proven otherwise and to perform a systematic diagnostic investigation. However, the exact diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are still a matter of open debate. The authors present a critical review of the management of infection in shoulder arthroplasty considering their own experience.